Spanish Embassy presents ‘A Flamenco Journey’

A performance of “A Flamenco Journey” was presented by the Embassy of Spain in Kuwait at the Yarmouk Cultural Centre on Sunday evening by the group “Flamenco Art and Entertainment”, an ensemble with 10 years’ experience which started in Europe and is currently based in the Middle East.

Directed by Amalia Megias, CEO and Founder of the company, the troupe has been performing in different Spanish venues and private events across GCC region. The stage was filled with two singers and four dancers who demonstrated to the audience in Kuwait the art of Flamenco which UNESCO recorded in 2010 as part of the global human cultural heritage.

As for the origin of this art, many of its details have been lost in the folds of history, although it is established that it was of Andalusian origin from the eighth and ninth centuries, when Spain was under Arab Islamic rule. In this era, Christians and Jews adopted Arabic music and its instruments, and made adaptations to suit their tastes, and then moved this music to the Roma, separated from its origin and became a hybrid music. Between 1765 and 1860 the first Flamenco school was established in the city of Cadiz, Cherish and Seville, and this art became an active presence in the concert halls. The Flamenco dance was used to singing with rhythmic applause, followed by musical composers such as guitarist Julien Arcas. During his golden age (1869-1910), Flamenco developed through its continuous presence in several cafes that spread at the time. It took deeper and more sophisticated forms, reaching its present form and becoming a source of attraction to the public.